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Old 22-03-2003, 12:30 PM
Mark Allison
 
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Default Potatoes

Hi,

I'm having my first go at planting potatoes and I bought some seed potatoes
from my local Frosts garden centre. The potatoes already have 6 inch sprouts
on them - should I plant them out now? On the packet it says they're
Earlies - not sure what that means. Is there a FAQ anywhere that shows you
how to grow spuds?

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Old 22-03-2003, 12:30 PM
Lorna
 
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Default Potatoes

Mark,

It sounds like those potatoes were kept too warm and dark at the
garden centre. You really want very short stubby sprouts as the long
ones are easily broken off when you plant them.

Early potatoes mature fairly early on in the season - they are ready
to harvest as soon as the flowers are fully open. Here in Glasgow I
won't put them in until the end of the month at the soonest, but you'd
need to ask someone local to you for planting dates.

HTH.

Lorna


"Mark Allison" wrote in message ...
Hi,

I'm having my first go at planting potatoes and I bought some seed potatoes
from my local Frosts garden centre. The potatoes already have 6 inch sprouts
on them - should I plant them out now? On the packet it says they're
Earlies - not sure what that means. Is there a FAQ anywhere that shows you
how to grow spuds?

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Old 22-03-2003, 12:30 PM
Ophelia
 
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Default Potatoes


"Lorna" wrote in message
om...
Mark,

It sounds like those potatoes were kept too warm and dark at the
garden centre. You really want very short stubby sprouts as the long
ones are easily broken off when you plant them.

Early potatoes mature fairly early on in the season - they are ready
to harvest as soon as the flowers are fully open. Here in Glasgow I
won't put them in until the end of the month at the soonest, but you'd
need to ask someone local to you for planting dates.

HTH.

Lorna


Lorna I am near Glasgow too. Would you put maincrop in at the end of the
month too? My seed potatoes are in my cold frame and the eyes are still
fairly small

Ophelia


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Old 22-03-2003, 12:30 PM
Nick Maclaren
 
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Default Potatoes

In article ,
Ophelia wrote:

"Lorna" wrote in message
. com...
Mark,

It sounds like those potatoes were kept too warm and dark at the
garden centre. You really want very short stubby sprouts as the long
ones are easily broken off when you plant them.

Early potatoes mature fairly early on in the season - they are ready
to harvest as soon as the flowers are fully open. Here in Glasgow I
won't put them in until the end of the month at the soonest, but you'd
need to ask someone local to you for planting dates.


Lorna I am near Glasgow too. Would you put maincrop in at the end of the
month too? My seed potatoes are in my cold frame and the eyes are still
fairly small


Measure the soil temperature a few inches down. Below 5 Celsius and
you are wasting your time. Above 10 Celsius, and you should have
planted earlier, but they will grow faster and so you have lost little.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679
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Old 22-03-2003, 12:30 PM
Ophelia
 
Posts: n/a
Default Potatoes


"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Ophelia wrote:

"Lorna" wrote in message
. com...
Mark,

It sounds like those potatoes were kept too warm and dark at the
garden centre. You really want very short stubby sprouts as the long
ones are easily broken off when you plant them.

Early potatoes mature fairly early on in the season - they are ready
to harvest as soon as the flowers are fully open. Here in Glasgow I
won't put them in until the end of the month at the soonest, but you'd
need to ask someone local to you for planting dates.


Lorna I am near Glasgow too. Would you put maincrop in at the end of the
month too? My seed potatoes are in my cold frame and the eyes are still
fairly small


Measure the soil temperature a few inches down. Below 5 Celsius and
you are wasting your time. Above 10 Celsius, and you should have
planted earlier, but they will grow faster and so you have lost little.


Thanks Nick That is tucked away in my notes. Is that true for all
plants? How about my tubs?

Ophelia




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Old 22-03-2003, 12:30 PM
Nick Maclaren
 
Posts: n/a
Default Potatoes

In article ,
Ophelia wrote:


Measure the soil temperature a few inches down. Below 5 Celsius and
you are wasting your time. Above 10 Celsius, and you should have
planted earlier, but they will grow faster and so you have lost little.


Thanks Nick That is tucked away in my notes. Is that true for all
plants? How about my tubs?


No, but it is true for many of the frost sensitive plants that we
grow. Only ones adapted to the far north start growing when the soil
is cold. The same rule applies to tubs.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679
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Old 22-03-2003, 12:30 PM
Ophelia
 
Posts: n/a
Default Potatoes


"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Ophelia wrote:


Measure the soil temperature a few inches down. Below 5 Celsius and
you are wasting your time. Above 10 Celsius, and you should have
planted earlier, but they will grow faster and so you have lost little.


Thanks Nick That is tucked away in my notes. Is that true for all
plants? How about my tubs?


No, but it is true for many of the frost sensitive plants that we
grow. Only ones adapted to the far north start growing when the soil
is cold. The same rule applies to tubs.


Many thanks

O




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